Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TITLE OF THE INVENTION
A NUMBERING APPARATUS FOR
DOCUMENTS, AND NUMBERED DOCUMENTS
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a data carrier, in particular paper of value,
bank note, ID card, credit card, telephone card or the like, having a serial
number
consisting of several characters which individualizes the data carrier from a
series
of data carriers, and to a numbering apparatus for numbering the data
carriers.
To increase security and to identify documents, for example bank
notes, cheques, ID cards, credit cards or the like, one applies consecutive
numbering, usually printing this so-called "serial number" on the completed
data
carrier. For applying the serial number to the data carriers one uses for
example
a numbering unit placed in a numbering station which the documents pass
through
for numbering.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
DE OS 1 486 894 discloses a numbering printing unit for providing
such documents with a consecutive serial number. This multidigit number can be
provided on the document several times and be applied horizontally or
vertically,
the number being printed with a special ink, for example of a magnetic ink.
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To increase security in documents of value, EP 0 061 795 B1 further
proposes providing the printed serial number with an additional code number
which
varies with the consecutive numbering and is printed in a different colour
from the
serial number.
For further improving the security of numbered documents, EP 0 160
504 B1 has proposed designing the serial number so that at least two
characters
of the serial number differ in height, width, type font or in a combination of
these
properties.
The invention is based on the problem of proposing a numbering
apparatus and documents numbered with this serial numbering apparatus whereby
the security of the documents is improved by the numbering with the numbering
apparatus.
This problem is solved by the features of the independent claims.
The essence of the invention is based on the finding that the security
of documents can be improved considerably if one numbers them using numbering
units whose figures have a special arrangement relative to each other, this
arrangement following a line having a curvature.
This special arrangement of the figures relative to each other ensures
that the original numbering of the documents can only be performed with the
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specially produced numbering units. Subsequent precisely fitting replacement
of
an individual figure of the numbering is impeded considerably since the line
along
which the characters of the serial number are disposed does not extend
straight.
For numbering the documents one uses a numbering unit wherein the characters
of the serial number are offset relative to each other on the engraved blocks
so as
to be disposed along a curved line. With such numbering units the offset can
be
stated relative to an edge of the engraved block or relative to a reference
line of a
character. For serial numbers which have characters disposed horizontally side
by
side, the offset can be characterized for example in that the characters are
engraved at different heights relative to the lower edge of the engraved
block, so
that the baseline on which the characters are aligned is curved. When
engraving
the characters one must additionally take into account that some characters do
not
stand directly on the baseline but are disposed at a defined distance
therefrom, for
example hyphens, dashes or the numerals 5 and 0 in the Arabic speech area.
If characters of a serial number stand upright one above the other,
however, a different distance of the characters from a lateral edge of the
engraved
block can be used for producing the arrangement along a curved line.
Since such numbering units must be specially produced for numbering
documents and their production necessitates special tools and special
knowledge,
the security of documents numbered with these numbering units is considerably
increased.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Further advantages and advantageous developments are the object of
the following description of the figures, which dispense with a true-to-scale
representation for clarity's sake.
Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of an inventive numbering
apparatus;
Fig. 2 shows a plan view of the embossed blocks of a numbering
apparatus;
Fig. 3 shows a schematized arrangement of the figures on the
engraved blocks of a numbering apparatus;
Fig. 4 shows a schematized arrangement of the figures on the
engraved blocks of a numbering apparatus;
Fig. 5 shows a schematized arrangement of the figures on the
engraved blocks of a numbering apparatus;
Fig. 6 shows a representation of reference points of a character;
Fig. 7 shows a document of value with numbering;
Fig. 8 shows a document of value with numbering;
Fig. 9 shows a document of value with numbering;
Fig. 10 shows a schematized arrangement of the figures on the
engraved blocks of a numbering apparatus;
Fig. 11 shows details of numbered documents.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Fig. 1 shows schematically numbering apparatus 1 having figure
wheels 2, 2' bearing in the particular direction of rotation of the figure
wheels
engraved blocks 3 on which characters 4 of the serial numbers are engraved.
The
engraved characters can be basically any characters, for example numerals,
letters,
symbols or other characters suitable for individualization. A switching
mechanism
not shown in the Figure ensures that the numbering unit is switched in
accordance
with the desired numbering. Characters 4, which are applied to blocks 3
horizontally side by side in the present numbering unit, are offset relative
to each
other on engraved blocks 3 such that the serial number follows an arc shape
and
a serial number printed on a data carrier with this numbering apparatus
accordingly
extends in an arc shape. The arrangement of a serial number along a line
having
a curve is ensured with the present numbering apparatus in that characters 4
of the
serial number are disposed on engraved blocks 3 at a defined distance from the
lower edge of engraved block 3. This distance is constant for figures with the
same height on one and the same figure wheel. In the present case this
distance
is varied in defined fashion from figure wheel to figure wheel, giving rise to
the
arrangement of the figures along a curved line. Although the distance of the
figures on the embossed block from the lower edge of the embossed block can be
different on each figure wheel, it suffices for the inventive numbering unit
if this
distance from an edge of the engraved block is varied on at least one figure
wheel.
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To illustrate the engraved relations more clearly, Fig. 2 shows a
schematized detail from numbering apparatus 1 indicating engraved blocks 3
disposed side by side bearing characters 4 as raised engraved characters. In
their
position on the engraved blocks the characters differ in the present case by a
vertical offset which is constant between each character, so that the serial
number
formed by the characters follows a line which is curved and is represented in
the
present case by an arc. For characters which usually stand on the same line,
i.e.
whose feet are on a line, this offset can be characterized in that the
distance
between the foot of engraved character 4 and the lower edge of engraved block
6 on which the character is engraved is different with at least two of these
characters of the serial number. As to be seen in Fig. 2, this distance
increases for
the first characters of the serial number and decreases for the last
characters of the
serial number, resulting altogether in an arrangement of the serial number
along a
curved line. The numbering apparatus accordingly has engraved blocks disposed
side by side wherein at least one engraved character is disposed so as to be
offset
from a straight connecting line from the foot of the first character to the
foot of the
last character. For characterizing the offset one can use not only the
straight
connecting line from the foot of the first to the foot of the last character
but also
the straight connecting line from the head of the first to the head of the
last
character.
Fig. 1 shows the characters of the serial number as positively
recognizable characters, but in such numbering apparatuses the characters are
usually cut as raised reliefs from the embossed blocks, as to be seen in Fig.
2.
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When the serial number is printed using this numbering apparatus, the
characters
are transferred to the document true to side, the serial number being disposed
along a line having a curvature according to the invention.
Fig. 3 shows a further embodiment indicating how the serial number
can be disposed along a curved line. Engraved blocks 3 are shown further
schematized and characters 4 of the serial number represented positively for
clarity's sake. One can likewise see normally invisible curve 5 along which
the
serial number extends. In this embodiment each character of the serial number
is
normal to a tangent applied to curve 5 at a place of particular character 4.
Most
of the characters of the serial number are therefore tilted relative to lower
edge 6
of engraved block 3, the foot of each character extending parallel to or on
the
tangent to curve 5. Additionally at least two characters 4 are at a different
distance from lower edge 6 of their engraved block.
Two further embodiments of the inventive numbering apparatus for
providing documents with a serial number are shown in Figs. 4a and 4b. In Fig.
4a
the serial number is disposed along wavy line 5, individual characters 4 of
the serial
number again being at a different distance from the lower edge of engraved
block
3. In Fig. 4b the serial number is disposed along curve 5 having curvature 7
between the figures 4 and 5.
Curved line 5 in the sense of the invention is therefore to be regarded
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as a line which deviates from a straight connection from its beginning to its
end in
least at one place.
Figs. 5a and 5b show two further examples of the inventive serial
number. Individual figures 4 of the serial numbers are engraved on the
engraved
blocks so as to be disposed upright one below the other along arc 6, 6'. The
serial
number is thus readable from the top to the bottom. The arrangement of the
characters along curved line 6, 6' arises on the engraved blocks from at least
two
characters of the serial number being at a different distance from right edge
8 or
left edge 9 of engraved block 3.
The arrangement of the serial number along a curved line can also be
characterized, both for characters standing vertically one above the other and
for
ones standing horizontally side by side, in that at least one character of the
serial
number is at a distance from a straight connecting line from the first to the
last
character of the serial number. Equivalent reference points of a character
must of
course be selected for the beginning and the end point of this line, the
remaining
characters of the serial numbers then being disposed so that their equivalent
reference points are at a distance from the straight connecting line from the
first
to the last character and the characters being disposed so as to lie along a
curved
line.
Suitable reference points are for example, as shown in Fig. 6a, one of
outer contact points 10, 10' of the character with foot line 12, or contact
point 11
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of the character with head line 16. Equally suitable is centre 13 of a
character
which, as shown in Fig. 6b, is defined as the intersection of the line through
half
the engraving width 14 with the line through half the height 15 of the
character,
half the height of the character being defined by half the distance from foot
line 12
to head line 16 of the character.
The numbering apparatus can be used for numbering documents, for
example bank notes, papers of value, identification or credit cards, passports
or the
like, the numbering being applied to the document one or more times and in
different forms. Fig. 7 shows paper of value 20 which has two serial numbers
21
and 22 disposed along a curved line, the curved line itself not being
recognizable
on the document. The characters of the two serial numbers are in this case
disposed vertically one below the other.
For characters disposed side by side, Fig. 8 accordingly shows
document 20 which has two serial numbers 23 and 24 again disposed along a line
having a curvature. In contrast to the variant shown in Fig. 7, curved lines
26 and
27 are to be seen on this data carrier. If these lines are intended to be
visible on
the data carrier, they can be applied together with the serial number or be
produced
in separate printing operations. It is not necessary for the individual
figures of a
serial number to have a uniform appearance. Thus, serial number 24 is disposed
in an arc shape along line 26, but the individual characters of the serial
number
have a different size. Using this change in size of the serial number one can
apply
a further additional security feature to the paper of value which impedes
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unauthorized imitation.
The selection of characters is not restricted to Arabic numerals or
alphanumeric characters. For example the figures shown in Fig. 9 and used in
the
Arabic speech area can likewise be used to represent serial number 25, and
also
combined with other characters.
Fig. 10 shows that it is possible to individualize documents not only
by merely stating the serial number but also by the geometrical arrangement of
the
characters in the serial number. For this purpose one assigns to the
characters
fixed positions on the engraved blocks which are the same on all figure wheels
for
a certain character. For example the distance of the foot or baseline of like
characters from edge 6 of the embossed block can assume a fixed defined value
for each of these like characters. In Fig. 10 this distance increases from the
first
character "A" through the figures "1 " to "4" to the sixth character "5". The
same
applies to the second part of the serial number from the seventh to the
eleventh
character. Thus, for all like characters there are defined and fixed positions
within
the serial number which also produce an individual geometrical arrangement of
the
figures for different serial numbers.
Figs. 11 a to 11 d show four examples of this, indicating details from
security document 20 on which different serial numbers 26 are printed with a
numbering unit having engraved blocks with engraved characters according to
Fig.
10. Comparison of Figs. 11 a to 11 d clearly indicates that a change of the
serial
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number also varies the geometrical arrangement of the serial number, i.e. the
serial
number is disposed along a curve which is individual for each serial number.
In Fig. 11 a the serial number thus ends with the figures 3 9 1 and in
Fig. 11 b with the figures 3 9 0. Since Figure 1 on the engraved block is at a
smaller distance from the lower edge of the engraved block than the Figure 0,
the
serial numbers of Figs. 11 a and 11 b differing only in the last figure have a
clearly
recognizable different appearance. Figs. 11 c and 11 d again show for
illustration
two different serial numbers 26 on a detail of document 20. Like characters on
the
embossed block of the numbering unit are at the same distance from the lower
edge of the embossed block so that they accordingly lie on a line and/or have
the
same orientation when printed on the document. In this way one can produce
serial numbers which characterize a document through the number, on the one
hand, and through the geometrical arrangement along different curved lines, on
the
other hand. As described in the previous examples, it is possible to produce
the
thus individualized serial numbers by fixing the position of the individual
characters
by different reference points. In addition, one can individualize like
characters in
their position on the embossed block by assigning to them a defined angle to a
perpendicular on lower edge 6 of the embossed block, the angle being the same
for like characters and different for different characters. In this way one
can
likewise achieve an individualization of the position of different characters
on the
embossed block, which in turn results in an individualization of the serial
number
going beyond mere individualization through the number.
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It is of course possible in all examples to provide the serial numbers
on the data carriers with additional security features, such as fluorescent,
magnetic
or electroconductive substances. In addition one can combine different forms
of
the serial number on one and the same document, i.e. apply several serial
numbers
to one and the same document, at least one of which is applied along a line
having
a curvature. It is thereby irrelevant whether the figures of the serial number
are
applied vertically one below the other or horizontally side by side. It is
likewise
possible to apply the line which the serial number follows to the document so
as
to be readily visible, invisible or visible only with the aid of technical
means, such
as UV lamps.
The serial number can furthermore be applied to documents without
the use of embossed numbering units. It is in particular expedient to use so-
called
ink jet numbering apparatuses, whereby the serial number is applied to the
document along a curve using an EDP-controlled ink jet printer.
